Dear Fediverse - Barracuda web filter at work is blocking all domains ending in ".social" as Social Networking category. Keep this in mind when choosing a domain name for your instance.
@vfrmedia yeah, we all knew that was definitely the case for the '.sex' TLD's - but maybe didn't think this through. I really hate filtering. If I hadn't switched my main instance to social.coop I would be unable to use desktop for Mastodon right now!
@dixongexpat *some* (not all) instances allow access through directly entering dotted IP, but this isn't so easy for non tech people to use and various scary (false triggered?) security warnings appear in the browser due to SSL certs not matching up 100%.
In other cases a 403 error is returned (there may however be a valid reason for the server being set up like that)
@dixongexpat A lot of filters (or admins) may choose to ban most of the new TLDs because they are more often used by spammers than legitimate websites as well.
Mastodon is one of the first places I've seen heavy, legitimate use of the new TLDs.
@dixongexpat @rysiek conversely, launch a series of useful business to business services with unpredictable domain names all ending in .social
@dixongexpat Work is being an authoritarian jerk if they don't allow you to access social media. [ Firm Opinion Squirrel has spoken. ]
cc: @Antanicus
@woozle @Antanicus all blocked here. No wifi (for non-IT peeps). No media streaming, period. No web email. WORK DAMMIT WORK!
@dixongexpat @woozle wow... do you work in a XIXc. cotton spinning mill? LOL
@Antanicus @woozle governmental entity
@dixongexpat (cc: @Antanicus ) Sounds cheerful. Do the beatings continue until morale improves?
@woozle @Antanicus no beatings required, everyone just keeps their head down to earn mediocre pay...
@dixongexpat @djsundog Barracuda mail filter also contains false positives which they refuse to remove, completely unresponsive to messages, so it might be good to get rid of their products too...
@dixongexpat for this reason I've always been a bit wary of "one purpose" TLDs like this , they might seem "cool" but also facilitate filtering/censorship.
maybe SSL certs complicate things a bit but surely it would be possible to have two domain names registered by DNS to the same destination? I've already seen small Japanese instances (probably test/experimental) that are shown as closed redirect to pawoo.net without problems..